Without just cause - Miscellaneous matters

Booher's Rules of Business Grammar - Dianna Booher 2009

Without just cause
Miscellaneous matters

WITHOUT: WHAT IT CAN AND CAN’T DO

We build our highway systems much the way we build our sentences. Major interstates intersect with major highways, requiring elaborate overpasses, bridges, and on-and-off ramps. Minor roads also intersect with these same interstates, but they need less structured entrance and exit ramps.

Sentence construction follows the same logic; the links between the major and minor ideas match the roles they play. Words that link two major ideas are called coordinating conjunctions. Here’s an all-inclusive list: and, but, or, for, nor, so, yet.

Words that link minor ideas to the major ones (the way minor roads join the major interstates) are called subordinating conjunctions. Here are a few: if, although, until, because, unless, while, whether, after, before.

A common mistake is to use without as a subordinating link (a conjunction).

Incorrect:

Kilpatrick could not get a promotion without he spent some time in Europe.

Orilla will flunk the test for a pilot’s license without they change the criteria.

Without is not one of those bridges or linking words. It’s a preposition, like in, to, among, about, between, over, under, and by. Without cannot link two clauses (groups of words with a subject and verb) in a sentence. Use unless instead as the proper link.

Correct:

Kilpatrick could not get a promotion without spending some time in Europe. (correct because there’s just one clause—without is a preposition here)

Orilla will flunk the test for a pilot’s license unless they change the criteria.

Incorrect:

Fritz couldn’t fly to Chicago without he asked his wife.

Correct:

Fritz couldn’t fly to Chicago until he asked his wife. (corrected by using a different link)

Incorrect:

Ebeneezer cannot make a sale without he brags to everybody on the team.

Correct:

Ebeneezer cannot make a sale without bragging to everybody on the team. (correct because there’s just one clause—without is a preposition here)

Memory tip

Without is without the power to link main ideas (clauses).